HAMILTON Island was transformed into ‘Happiness Island’ to celebrate a monumental 13,000th Starlight Wish milestone.
To mark the special occasion, Starlight, Virgin Australia and Hamilton Island brought together 10 sick kids and their families from across Australia for an unforgettable VIP weekend full of fun, laughter and special memories.
To kick off the festivities, families were welcomed into the Virgin Australia lounge by Starlight Ambassadors, media personality Darryl Brohman and singer-songwriter Timomatic, before taking a fun-filled flight up to picturesque Hamilton Island, where they were warmly welcomed by children from the Hamilton Island Community School.
The celebrations continued with an official welcome dinner MC’d by TV personality Matty J, a surprise intimate performance from Kita Alexander, and a spectacular fireworks display.
Throughout the weekend the Hamilton Island community provided the kids and families with unforgettable experiences, including a thrilling Whitehaven Beach cruise, a bowling and pizza night, and a sunny beach BBQ.
When sick kids’ worlds are filled with hospital and treatment, a Starlight Wish is an incredible gift of happiness, giving sick kids something fun to look forward to and creating new memories to treasure.
Over the last decade, Hamilton Island has welcomed more than 250 sick kids for their Starlight Wish.
This year alone, 12 sick children have travelled to Hamilton Island for their Starlight Wish, with at least 12 more booked to travel before the end of the year.
Hamilton Island CEO Pete Brulisauer said they were delighted to see Hamilton Island play a role in the celebration of 13,000 Starlight Wishes.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Starlight and Virgin Australia to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these deserving kids,” he said.
“I’m also pleased to see the Hamilton Island community come together to support this event, from our school and local fire brigade, to the various businesses that operate on the island.
“A big thank you to AV Partners and Skylighter Fireworks for the services they provided in kind to make this a truly special event.”
Starlight relies on corporate partnerships and the community to help fulfill life-changing Starlight Wishes.
With more than 700 sick kids still waiting for their Starlight Wish this year, the need for ongoing support continues. To help fulfil more life-changing Starlight Wishes, visit www.starlight.org.au.
